


The Frozen Shepard

by Pardy



Category: Jack Frost - Fandom, Mythology - Fandom, RotG, rise of the guardians
Genre: Jack Frost - Freeform, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-25
Updated: 2012-10-25
Packaged: 2017-11-17 00:10:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/545349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pardy/pseuds/Pardy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If father checked in the morning and found one lamb missing, Jack knew he would get a lashing. Likely the lamb was already dead. But if he brought it back, they could at least eat it. Then he might get less of a beating.</p><p>Jack leaves his little sister behind to go out looking for the herd's lost lamb. Will he make it back home safely?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Frozen Shepard

**Author's Note:**

> This is not canon. Just musings based on some of what has been released in regards to Jack's backstory.
> 
> For Dave <3

"Jackin! Jackin, come back!" Marian took a few steps out of the light that flooded from the front door of their cabin, watching her brother pause by the rim of the trees, his Shepard's crook in hand. She balled up her fists in her skirts, lifting them above the snow so she could step forward again. "I'm sorry, Jackin! Don't go out there now! I promise, I won't tell Da that you lost that lamb today! We can look for it in the morning!"

Jack shook his head. "It'll be frozen by then, Marian. Stay here. I won't be gone long." They'd been out by the lake with the sheep today. Chances were it had just strayed a bit too far around the bank looking for food in the deep snow. He trudged through it now, little puffs of hot breath drifting up from his reddened nose. But he couldn't leave Marian alone with the herd to go looking for it. He'd had to wait until they were all safe back at home. If father checked in the morning and found one lamb missing, Jack knew he would get a lashing. Likely the lamb was already dead. But if he brought it back, they could at least eat it. Then he might get less of a beating.

He shivered, pulling his cloak more tightly around himself, fingers curling around the staff, already red. He wished he had gloves. The winters here were bitterly cold. He hated it. Sometimes it felt as though he'd wake up one morning with frost in his bones. His boots crunched in the snow, the top layer of it frozen hard from freezing over again once the sun went down. He squinted through the trees, a little lost, suddenly wishing he had brought a lantern with him. It was pitch dark out in the woods, and he was beginning to feel a little unsure. Shouldn't he be at the lake by now?

A twig snapped, grabbing his attention. He jerked around, his heart racing. Was there something else in the trees besides him? His eyes found nothing between the tall pines except darkness. He took a step back, still scanning, and the ground crumbled beneath him, sending him tumbling, head over heels down the hill, branches scratching at his face and arms. 

He finally came out of the trees at the bank of the lake, skidding out across the ice for a long moment. Finally he stopped moving and relaxed with a groan, sore from the sudden fall.

"Jack! Jackin!" Marian came racing down the hill after him, though she managed to remain upright, the lantern in her hand clanking and swinging, scattering light in a soft globe around her. "Jackin, I'm so sorry, I thought I would come and help. I-" 

Of course she'd come after him. Jack sighed, sitting up and shaking the snow from his fair hair. "Marian, stay on the shore," he interrupted, getting up cautiously. But the ice on the lake was thick this deep into the winter. Jack stooped, scooping up his crook, glad it hadn't been broken in the fall. His underfed weight could not possibly put him at risk. He slid his feet forward, not wanting to slip on his way over to her.

"Oh Jack! The lamb, there it is!" Marian hopped up and down excitedly, pointing, the lantern handle squeaking loudly.

Jack frowned, looking over his shoulder where she pointed. Indeed, out on the ice, there was the small dark form of a lamb, but he doubted it was theirs. "Marian, our sheep are white. That one must belong to someone else."

"Oh, but Jack, it's so cold out! We can't just leave it out here to die. The poor thing will freeze." Marian begged, watching as the poor creature stood stock still, like it was already frozen in place.

Jack sighed, rolling his eyes. He supposed as long as he brought back a lamb, he wouldn't be in trouble. Provided they could eat it before the real owner came looking for it. He began to make his way out to the creature, glad it did not appear to be running away from him. He was only just out of arms reach of the little black sheep when his progress pulled to a sudden halt. Looking down, he frowned. His boots were stuck to the ice. He tried to lift one of them, with no success, staring in horror as he watched the ice creep, like a living thing, over the toe of his boot. He looked up fast - the lamb had turned to him now, staring with glowing, cruel yellow eyes. The devil walks on cloven hooves. The passage from church suddenly popped into his head and he cried out in fear, falling back, crook clattering away across the ice. He kicked his feet out of his boots, scrambling back, but it was too late. The last thing he heard was Marian's scream as the beast leapt, fanged jaws opening wide, its tiny hooves smashing into his chest. With a moaning crack, the ice under them splintered, sending Jack and the black devil sinking down into the depths of the lake.

The lantern smashed and Marian took off, skirts lifted so she could run on the frozen lake. Twice she slipped, bashing her cheeks against the ice. Sobbing, she finally crawled up to the hole in the ice, eyes searching the black for any sign of her brother. "JACK!" She screamed, praying to God that he could hear her, and somehow follow her voice back up. "JACKIN!! PLEASE!" Her cheeks burned, tears freezing to her face. She sought around desperately and found his staff, standing carefully and grabbing it, plunging the hook down into the water, hoping to feel something grab on it to. "Jack please!! Grab on! Jack, you've got to grab on!" 

How many minutes had it been? Ten? Twenty? She kept on searching, plunging the staff down as far as she could, the icy water burning her sodden arms. The cold began to freeze the sleeves of her dress and she sobbed, the hot sensation creeping over her skin. The front of her dress was already frozen to the ice. 

"Jack... P-Please save me," she sobbed, her voice raw and broken. It had been hours now. No one was coming, and she was so, so tired. She wasn't even cold anymore. Perhaps she could lay down for a moment. She lay the staff down next to the hole in the ice, her fingers frozen to the twisted, frosty wood. She didn't bother to try and free herself from it. It was her brothers. If she stayed with it long enough, she knew he would come and find them. Marian closed her eyes, groggily murmuring a prayer. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  
he leadeth me beside the still waters.  
He restoreth my...  
... my..."


End file.
